Thursday, August 4, 2011

While I have made it clear I don't see the RIFTS system as broken, I do see them ripe for house ruling. One things I don't like is percentile skill systems. I really would like to make it an attribute roll system. Giving attributes a bigger role in the system. I would love going to a 3d6 roll under attribute system for skills. Until then though I think I got a quick fix.

I'm simply going to convert the percentile system into a d20 system. Every 5% is equal to 1 in 20 on a d20. Simply divide the total skill by 5 and round down.

So if a character has a total value in a skill of 45% then he would have a 9 in that skill. A d20 roll is made trying to roll under the skill just like with the percentile system.

My other Idea I'm still toying with is to tun it around and make it a positive modifier and rolling against a target difficulty set by the GM. This one I need to put some more thought and go over the numbers a few times.

Monday, August 1, 2011

I have been thinking about adapting ICONS to settings other than super heroes. Looks like some one already did a fantasy adaption. Called SIGILS. I'm looking it over now. Really got my wheels turning now.

On the surface it seems kind of silly after all this time getting back into Palladium games. Mainly because I have gone to mostly rules lite systems. And Palladium games have a reputation for being complex. But tell you the truth I just reread the rules in Rifts, Chaos earth, Nightbane, System failure and Palladium Fantasy. And I actually find the system rather elegant. And not complex in the slightest.

Here is the basics to combat. Any roll (if you have the weapon proficiency) over 4 is a hit.

Defenders can roll to parry, Dodge or roll with punch/blast.

If its a maga-damage (This is very high tech armor) world, damage is removed from available Maga-damage then strutural damage capacity and next hit points.

If damage is against SDC (structural damage capacity) armor, This is anything from a bullet proof vest to plate mail. It has an armor rating (AR). A roll over 4 but under the AR number the damage goes to armor. If its above the AR number the wearer take the damage.

If the damage is against Natural SDC Like a turtle shell or dragon scale. Rolls below AR do not penetrate the armor. Rolls above AR penetrate and do damage to the armor first. Then to the targets hit points.

I really like this. I like that I can have more than one type of armor. Fighting a dragon with a sword is not the same as firing on a hover tank with a laser rifle. And I know how to resolve a hover tank firing on a dragon.

I'm really digging the fantasy magic systems too. Great to see different flavors of magic.

And yes its a class and level based system. But its doesn't feel like one. There is no real bloat from level to level. Sure you get a few more hit points, Get some hand to hand combat bonuses and your skills get better. But a level one juicer is not really weak compared to a level 10 juicer.